Solutions in Your  Community


In This Issue

October 6:
MG Composting Demonstration

Ask-a-MG Plant Clinic

AGNR Open House

October 13:
Ask-a-MG Plant Clinic

Beekeeping Demonstration

October 14:
Honeybees Up Close
Fall Harvest Festival

October 17:
2018 Train the Trainer - Your Money, Your Goals 

October 20:
Orchids and Milk Jug Gardening

October 24:
MG Composting Demonstration

November 3:
MG Composting Demonstration

November 4:
STEM Library Program

November 6:
Election Day
Office closed

November 10:
4-H Turkey Shoot

November 12:
Veteran's Day
Office closed

November 22-23
Thanksgiving Holiday
Office closed

December 7:
4-H Winter Workshop

December 18:
Crops Sustainability & IPM Workshop

December 25:
Christmas Day
Office closed
September 2018

Fall finally seems to be upon us!  We hope you will take advantage of the many new products showing up at the Farmers' Markets, community festivals, craft shows and harvest celebrations throughout Southern Maryland.  The Master Gardeners are offering many classes this fall that are open to the public. Check out the left hand column and see what topics interest you and your family.

We are thrilled to welcome 3 new staff members:  Kayla Griffith, Nutrient Management Advisor,
Jeanette Jeffrey, Extension Educator, Healthy Living, and  Kristena Ratcliffe, Administrative Assistant II.

Each of them is already making contributions to our Anne Arundel County Extension program . See the article below to learn about their backgrounds! 

Happy Fall to all.



Karol Westelinck Dyson                      
Capital Area Extension Director
Mark Your Calendar! 

AGNR Open House 
October 6, 2018, 10:00 AM-3:00 PM
Central Maryland Research & Education Center, Ellicott City, MD

Please join us to experience the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources' visionary research, impactful Extension programs, and academic opportunities designed to prepare the next generation of  change agents. 
Our college is at the forefront of solving the most pressing agricultural and environmental challenges to create a more sustainable planet for future generations, and we're thrilled to put it all on display for you. 

Click here to learn more.


Growing Orchids and Gardening in Milk Jugs
Crofton Community Library, 1681 Riedel Road, Crofton, MD
Saturday, October 20, 2018, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM

An experienced Anne Arundel County Master Gardener will show you how to grow Orchids in your home & how to keep them blooming over the years. 

An expanded version of Gardening with an ordinary empty milk jug will be  presented by a Master Gardener who has been using this overwintering technique for years to successfully grow vegetables & flowers from seed. 

Click here to learn more.
Meet Our New Faculty and Staff!

We are pleased to welcome Jeanette Jeffrey to the position of Family and Consumer Sciences Educator for the Capital Cluster, housed in Gambrills. She brings over 25 years of experience in nutrition and public health education to our office.In 1996, Jeanette served as a Faculty Assistant Nutrition Educator with UME in Baltimore County, leaving to earn a Master's degree in education from The Johns Hopkins University. Since then, Jeanette has held faculty posts at Howard Community College (professor), UMBC (lecturer), and UAZ (visiting professor) and has earned a Master of Public Health in nutrition, and a certificate in humanitarian assistance from The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
 
We are also pleased to welcome Kayla Griffith, the new Anne Arundel County Nutrient Management Advisor. Kayla grew up on a tobacco farm in Southern Anne Arundel County and still works the farm with her Dad. The farm has changed through t he years, so, like most farmers in Southern Maryland they no longer grow tobacco, but they do grow s oybeans, corn,wheat, hay, and vegetables.  Kayla has a Bachelor's degree in Biology from Michigan Technological University and a Master's degree in Agronomy from Iowa State University
 and is a regular vendor at the Anne Arundel County Farmers' Market in Annapolis.
 
Our third new staff member is Kristena Ratcliffe. Kristena is the new Administrative Assistant II, who rejoins UME after being away for 10 years.  She was the former Executive Administrative Assistant II to the Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities, College Park. While away, Kristy started her own Hemp Oil business and enjoyed watching her children grow up.  Kristy is a Certified Meeting Planner (CMP), a Certified Professional Catering Executive (CPCE), a Certified Procurement Specialist and a Certified Forklift Operator, for which she is most proud!! She holds an AA degree in Business Management from Howard Community College.
 
Please welcome all of these new Extension professionals to our staff!
Did you visit the Anne Arundel County Fair this month? Did you wonder what in the world 4-H is all about? Do you have children between 8 and 18 or know someone who does? If so, it's easy to learn more! Visit our website or email Amanda Wahle in the UMD Anne Arundel Extension Office at  awahle@umd.edu. "4-H makes the best better!"
Your Money, Your Goals
Train the Trainer Event
October 17, 2018
9:00 AM - 3:30 PM

Join professionals from all over the state of Maryland for our "Your Money, Your Goals" training. This Consumer Financial Protection Bureau program will provide tools and resources that you can use to help clients improve financial management. Topics include setting financial goals, tracking income and bills, understanding your credit report, and avoiding financial traps. CEUs may be available.

Financial empowerment includes financial education and financial literacy, but it is focused on building the aptitude and skills of individuals to manage money and use financial services; it also shares resources and products that may work for them. This training will help your staff navigate important financial empowerment information and tools they can access as needed based on their client's goals. The 14 module toolkit brings together information, tools, and links to other resources you can use to help your clients build skills in managing money, credit, debt, and financial products. 

Click here to learn more.

For more information or to register, please contact Priscilla Graves or Patricia Maynard or call 301 868-9410. Click here to register online.
Nutrient Management Update
Kayla Griffith, Nutrient Management Advisor

Welcome to fall harvest season which is also the time to start  thinking about your 2019 Nutrient Management Plans!

If you make $2,500 or more Gross Annual Income from your agricultural operation and/or have 8 or more animal uni ts (1 animal unit = 1,000 lbs. live weight), you are required to have a Nutrient Management Plan. All are welcome to utilize our office as a way to have your plans written for free. Please remember it takes several weeks for most plans to be written, and you need your plan in hand before you apply any nutrients next spring. The closer we get to spring, the longer the wait-list becomes, so come in soon to be near the top of the list!

Before I can begin your plan, please remember to bring in updated farm maps, current soil and manure analyses, and relevant field and manure management information. Soil samples are required every three years. Your plan can only be written for as long as your soil samples are good for, therefore, if your soil samples expire May, 2019, I will  ask you take new soil samples this fall/winter. Additionally, there are new regulations for operations that have between 8 and 20 animal units. If you fall into this category, please contact me before sampling manure. I am happy to answer any questions or concerns related to soil or manure sampling.

I am excited to work with all of you in Anne Arundel County. My position is part-time, so I strongly suggest calling or emailing to set up an appointment before coming all the way to Gambrills. If you have any questions, concerns, or would like to schedule a meeting to begin your 2019 plan, please contact me at (410) 222-3900 or by email at kmgriffi@umd.edu.
Do you have a plant question? Pests in your house? Not happy  with your lawn? The University of Maryland Home and
Garden Information Center can help. Visit their website:
September is College Savings Month 
Priscilla Graves, FCS Extension Educator

Saving for college is a smart move. You've already taken an important step toward saving for your child's future education: deciding to start saving! Now, it's time to make another smart decision and invest with Maryland 529. With a 529 plan, saving for your child's college education is easier than you think, and the sooner you start, the better. It's never too early or too late to start saving for college. Investing early and regularly in a 529 plan will provide the potential for long term growth.

A 529 plan is a tax-advantaged savings plan designed to encourage saving for the future higher education expenses of a beneficiary. This beneficiary is typically one's child or grandchild, but there does not need to be a family relationship. The plans are named after Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code. There are two types of 529 plans: investment plans and prepaid tuition plans.

Investment Plans 
Investment plans allow you to invest in a variety of investment options (or portfolios) which typically include varying combinations of mutual funds. You can decide how much you want to invest or contribute, how often, and in what type of portfolio. Savings in this type of 529 plan can be used for a variety of education expenses including tuition, fees, room and board, course-specific fees, books and other supplies.

Prepaid Tuition Plans
Prepaid tuition plans are 529 plans that allow for the pre-purchase of tuition based on a current price. One of the main benefits of 529 prepaid tuition plans is that they allow you to hedge against future tuition increases. In Maryland, the Prepaid College Trust is generally designed to cover tuition and mandatory fees at a Maryland public college, but accounts can also be applied toward private and/or out of state colleges.

Benefits

There are several benefits to saving with a 529 plan. It is flexible, affordable, and offers tax benefits at the State and Federal levels. It can also be used at nearly any college nationwide and beneficiaries are still eligible for financial aid.

Visit https://maryland529.com for additional information regarding Maryland 529 plans, compare plans, obtain tools and resources, and enroll. or contact Priscilla Graves, Extension Educator at pgraves@umd.edu with additional questions.
Become an Anne Arundel County Master Gardener

Interested in becoming a Master Gardener? Master Gardeners are a group of gardening enthusiasts who are passionate about gardening, education, and volunteering in their community. The curriculum is presented by University of Maryland Extension faculty and trained Master Gardeners.
 
Click here for more information.
Agriculture & Natural Resources

Interested in agriculture? There are many agriculture resources available on our website.

Agriculture Newsletters

For more information, please contact Dave Myers, Extension Educator, AGNR.

If you are interested in agriculture for YOUTH, please contact our office and speak with a member of the 4-H staff or email Christa Stibolt. 4-H offers plant and animal science programs for youth ages 8-18. See the 4-H website for more details.
Healthy Eating - Cantaloupe Melon Kabobs


1 cup fresh cantaloupe, cut in 1-inch cubes
1 cup fresh honeydew melon, cut in 1-inch cubes
1 cup fresh watermelon, cut in 1-inch cubes, remove seeds
1 cup low-fat or fat-free vanilla or fruit-flavored yogurt, for dipping or drizzling
12 wooden craft sticks

Wash melons under cool running tap water. Scrub outside of melons with clean vegetable brush and rinse. Cut open and remove seeds of cantaloupe and honeydew melons. Cut melon flesh from rind and remove any bruised or damaged areas. Cut into 1-inch cubes. Press wooden stick through center of a piece of cantaloupe, leaving 1-inch of stick bare for a handle at one end. Repeat pressing other pieces of melon on wooden stick alternating types until stick is full. Refrigerate or serve immediately. Offer yogurt as sauce for dipping kabobs

 

Did you know...

2018 has been Grow It Eat It's Year of the Peppers! Click  here to learn more.



Anne Arundel County Extension
97 Dairy Lane
Gambrills, MD 21054
410-222-3900

 Area Extension Director
 Karol Dyson, AED
Agriculture & Natural Resources
Dave Myers, Principal Agent
myersrd@umd.edu  or 410-222-3906

 
Nutrient Management
Kayla Griffith, Nutrient Management Advisor
kmgriffi@umd.edu or 410-222-3906

Master Gardener Program
Nancy Allred, Interim Master Gardener Coordinator
nallred@umd.edu or 410-222-3906

4-H Youth Development
Amanda Wahle, Agent
awahle@umd.edu or 410-222-3900


Food Supplement Nutrition Education Program
LaTasha Coleman, Principal Agent Associate
lcolema4@umd.edu or 410-222-3903


Family and Consumer Sciences
Priscilla Graves, Agent
pgraves@umd.edu or  301-868-9410
  http://extension.umd.edu/anne-arundel-county/personal-finance 

Jeanette Jeffrey, Agent
jjeffrey@umd.edu or 410-222-3906